Wednesday, September 01, 2004

THE GOOD THING ABOUT JET-LAG...

...is that it means that you can be wide awake at 4am, answering forty emails and catching up on your blogging. Ordinarily, I waste the hours between 4am and 6am, you know, sleeping. Rats.

Back in L.A. after eight days in Spain and Southern France.

We were also obliged by an overbooked Air France flight to spend an extra day enjoying cold French hospitality in a two-star hotel (read: ridiculously slow Internet access and room keys handed out with sneering haughtiness...what IS it with French people, anyway?!) in a small town just outside of Paris. (The town is Roissy. My companions tell me it was fatally quaint. I opted to sleep that last day, so all I have from Roissy is a bottle of champagne the mayor of the village presented to my friends. I really have no idea what THAT was about…)

Eight days: Madrid, Avila, El Escoriel, Zaragossa (my favorite place! more about it later...), Barbastro, Torrecidad, Barcelona, Montserrat, Andorra, the amazingly picturesque Pyrenees, Pau in France. Too much beautiful art in one week. I got saturated by mid-week, and found myself experiencing the unbelievable shrine at Montserrat the way my five year old nephew acted after six hours at Disneyland. Just kind of stumbling through, overwhelmed and certain that the world holds many more things in it than we can ever dream of or imagine. Way too many impressions to have them all straight yet, but here are a few thoughts that are strongest right now...

Once again, this visit has demonstrated to me that Spanish people are among the loveliest, warmest, most gracious and generous souls God created. I know that Spanish people must work for a living, but judging by the amount of time everybody gave us wherever we went, you would think they just sit around Medieval plazas all day, drinking coffee and waiting to escort clueless Americans anywhere, to do anything, for as long as it takes.

The purpose of our trip was for me to see some of the sights and terrain that will be the backdrop for the screenplay I am writing set during the Spanish Civil War. Special thanks for planning our every day, and finding me a stream of English speaking historians with whom to chat goes to the extraordinary (that would be one of my adjectives, Cristina) Cristina Fernandez Alonzo of Madrid. (I know it will be mortifying to her for me to thank her on the World Wide Web, but Cristina, that is the risk you take when you are busy about being amazingly kind and good...) Cristina, who produces a TV show and runs a charitable foundation for children, is one of those Christians who makes you feel really good about “our side.” If the Gospel produces people like this, it’s got to be real. Muchos gracias, Cristina!

Thanks also to all the people Cristina prevailed on to answer our questions and take us around - Beatrice and Pilar in Madrid, Alvarro in Zaragossa, Fr. Javier in Torrecidad (who was also the provider of Foie Gras one night!), Carmen in Barcelona, Damaso in the Pyrenees. Amazing generous people. I wish I could write a screenplay that would be half as worthy of all the kindnesses we received in our travels.


PARADOX: DOES TOO MUCH RELIGION MAKE GOD INVISIBLE?

The really good news is that the Church in Spain seems to be faring much better than in the rest of Europe. Daily Mass is well-attended, and Sunday Masses were quite crowded. There are a lot of thirty and forty somethings doing religious stuff - we saw them at all the shrines, kissing relics and touching statues and making quiet visits with Jesus and the members of the communion of saints who are at home in every crevice in most Spanish churches.

We couldn't help but contrast the evidence of Spanish faith with the absence of it in Andorra and France. Not sure how to account for the contrast, except for the comfortingly ubiquitous presence of the Madonna in Spain. She's there in every little village and region, wearing a different guise, but very much rallying the people around her Son. The other different thing about Spain, has to be reckoned the 35,000 members of Opus Dei who are out there in what is a relatively small nation, seriously pursuing personal holiness "in the streets," as St. Josemaria Escriva was wont to say.

Still, our Spanish friends assured us that there is a crisis of belief going on, even amidst the cultural omnipresence of God stuff there. The faith in Spain is so strongly cultural, that it has stopped being personal for most people. It's part of the people's tradition, but not necessarily part of every individual's journey.

An example of this was laid out for us during our visit to Zaragossa. By the way, an absolute MUST for anyone who treks to Spain. We were at the astounding Basilica which houses the miraculous statue of Our lady of Pilar, and our guide for the day, Alvaro, noted that the square and basilica would get really crowded very soon. Zaragossa's soccer team had won the national championship the night before, and now, the whole team, and town, were going to process into the basilica to present the trophy to the Virgin.

For me, it was such a stunning blend of the sacred with the secular. I was actually a little scandalized by the way Our Blessed Mother was draped in a soccer banner in the basilica. But that is my sick American "separation of faith and state" problem. I don't think she has a problem with it at all. In fact, I think the Divine was surely smiling down at all the people bringing their children to be photographed next to the Madonna of Pilar, up there wearing Zaragossa's team colors. (I bought a nice sized Our Lady of Pilar statue and brought it home. Tonight I am going to have a ritual ceremony of draping her in a Boston Red Sox T-shirt...oh, some of you think I am kidding...)

This leads me to what became the central paradox I chewed over as we moved from gorgeous churches in El Escoriel to to Madrid to Barcelona.

Everywhere I go here in the States, I whine and complain that we need beauty in our churches. I see it as a necessary component to weathering life in a holy way "in this valley of tears." So, here's the problem. Europe is chock-full of beauty in their churches, but they have mostly lost their faith.

So, what does that say about my theories about the urgent relationship between aestethical/liturgical beauty and faith? Maybe it is good that we Americans are surrounded by ugliness in our churches? Somebody help...


"I DON'T THINK YOU KNOW WHAT THAT WORD MEANS."

The word "hatred" has a much more serious connotation in Spain. This is a legacy of the Civil War, of course, which is still very much the story of many people's families there. We met one man most of whose family was killed by a group of Nationalists back in 1937 who were looking for communists. Seventy years later, the man still had sadness in his voice as he told us, "It was obvious they weren't communists because the house had all the saints in it." He meant statues. But he had no rancor. He shrugged to me, "We have to let it go." Anyway, the Spanish figured out in those three horrible years, that if people don't pass over and move on from their instinct for hatred, it will destroy everything.

I couldn't help but contrast the Spanish sense of hatred with the cavalier way we throw the word around here in the States, and especially in our politically polarized climate. I saw one sign in the NYC demonstartion last week with a picture of George W Bush and a sign reading "The Face of hate." No see, we really don't know what we are talking about. Hatred isn't something subtle and manageable. It isn't something you can do in between your morning latte and your ten minutes with Regis and Kelly. It is violence and death and wild mobs wreaking destruction and injustice. If hate could be limited to "speech", it wouldn't be hate.


Ugh, it's 7am, and suddenly the brain wants to sleep. It's gonna be a long week. More later, God-willing...

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wow, I really like this one. I have a website that talks mostly about from internet make money ways You should check it out sometime.

Anonymous said...

I have seen a lot about legitimate home based business opportunity.

See how a 33 yr old ex-bouncer replaced his income and learned even more about legitimate home based business opportunity

Seriously, It only took about nine months. There is a lot of hype out there about legitimate home based business opportunity so don't get overwhelmed.

It's real though. A sixty year old industry that does $100 Billion a year in sales. Isn't that worth ten minutes of your time?

Click Here Now

Anonymous said...

I discuss this topic daily myself. I also have a website that talks about mass email marketing software related things. Go check it out if you get a chance.

Anonymous said...

Hey, you have a great blog here! I'm definitely going to bookmark you! The information and Internet marketing product evaluations that you provide are great for beginner webmasters.

I have a make money online business site/blog. It pretty much covers make money online business related stuff.

Come and check it out if you get time :-)

Roberto Iza Valdés said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...

online, free of charge! It doesn’t matter if your enterprise is a purely online or offline venture,

Chuck Reynolds said...

credit repair scams MyOpp is the first portal to activate a complete portfolio of income streams with one click!credit repair scams

Anonymous said...

Hey, you have a great blog here! I'm definitely going to bookmark you!

I have a free erotic ebook site/blog. It pretty much covers ##KEYWORD## related stuff.

Come and check it out if you get time :-)

Anonymous said...

sent Straight to your Inbox for your Convenience, you wont have to Search the Internet day after day...

Anonymous said...

Free Ads and Marketing Lessons conveniently SENT straight to your Inbox Daily!

Anonymous said...

I have a pretty cool site about Check out diet online pill

Anonymous said...

Looking forward to participating in your web master affiliate program blog. I will definitely add it to my bookmarks.

I have a web master affiliate program related site. It pretty much covers ##KEYWORD## and other related stuff.

Also have another cool site called HotLinZ

Check me out if you get time :-)

Anonymous said...

seemingly endless number of these wonderful finds, what with the Internet

Anonymous said...

Hi there Blogger. I'm was looking around for the latest information on best home based businesses and found your blog. Although this post wasn't exactly what I was looking for, it certainly made me stop. I can see why I found your site when I was looking for best home based businesses related information and I'm glad I stopped by even though this isn't a perfect match. Interesting post. Thank's.

Anonymous said...

www.getipodsforfree.com has this cool thing where if you just sign up and do an offer, you can get a free ipod

Anonymous said...

Bula Blogger, I'm over in Fiji on vacation ('Bula' is hello in Fijian) I found an internet connection and decided to start research for my love kissing site... just found your totally awesome blog and had to dive right in! Your post "this post" is interesting, not really about love kissing stuff but certainly worth my time. I'll be bookmarking you so I can spend more time here when I get home. Hopefully you don't mind if I come back (I could also tell my friends... they'd like this)

Okay Blogger, have a nice day...

Bula (goodbye in Fijian :)

Anonymous said...

Our Blog network has 708 Pages and Growing at a Rapid Pace!

Anonymous said...

Hey Blogger, cool blog. I was really looking for info on
casino affiliate but glad I droped by. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

good information

Anonymous said...

Hey Blogger, cool blog. I was really looking for info on
888biz but glad I droped by. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

Hi Everybody,

Nice blog on consumer electronics service . I am looking for some blogs/sites with special electronics deals ?
Know some guys ?
Let me know please

Chris

Anonymous said...

Hey Blogger, cool blog. I was really looking for info on
888biz but glad I droped by. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

Your new 'MALL OF THE WORLD!' new jersey business opportunity gives you the same type of powerful selling machine that most Internet multi-millionaires already own!

Anonymous said...

Hey Blogger, cool blog. I was really looking for info on
home biz opportunity but glad I droped by. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

Hi Guys,

consumer electronics market : i get my lastest electronics news on consumer electronics market
Daily updated site with rss feed.
Anyone knows a better one ?
Thanks

Gregy

Anonymous said...

Hey Blogger, cool blog. I was really looking for info on
online casino business but glad I droped by. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

Hey Blogger, cool blog. I was really looking for info on
home biz opportunity but glad I droped by. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

Although I don't think you can use fasting as a diet or weight loss program, I do feel that it can be a great start to a proper weight loss diet and exercise program. I think it is definitely something that everyone should do at least once a year.
Link to this site. 3 week rapid weight loss

Anonymous said...

free electronics : i find hard to find interesting sites on this topic
I came here to ask you guys if you know some sites where i can have info on free electronics
Let me know
Thanks
Ulrich

Anonymous said...

Hey Blogger, cool blog. I was really looking for info on
888 mlm but glad I droped by. Way to go.

Anonymous said...

Hello :)

Sites are always increasing in number... I think they are much more better and good organized than websites... They provide real content and informationrmation......... So, keep up the good work!!

Regards,
business online start

Anonymous said...

Hello :)

I would like to congratulate U for Ur good written and complied site U have provided us...

Regards,
fast money online make

Anonymous said...

this is great!
funny how I was looking for this type of thing and found your post: ##TITLE##. It pulled me right out of my researching on french kissing technique info and allowed me to sit down for
Howdy,
I'm impressed with what you wrote here in your post. I'm a little embarrassed to admit that I was searching for french kissing technique information, but found you and I'm happy to be here - you have done well with topics that interest me. I might make a blog that looks like yours but about french kissing technique related stuff, (don't worry I wouldn't try to compete with you). You're doing a great job.
You got a great thing going... by friend.

Anonymous said...

Hi! I'm out blogging and found your blog!I have to admit, I've seen several blogs and you seem to have a very well put together blog here!

Sincerly,

affiliate directory

Anonymous said...

WARNING: A new immensely powerful viral marketing system has been released, which allows marketers to broadcast messages directly to people's desktops. Learn more about it here: making money over the internet site. It pretty much covers making money over the internet related stuff and it is FREE to join.